This week (1st-5th October 2018) is National Work Life Week, a week dedicated to employers and employees focusing on well-being at work and work life balance.
If you’ve ever worked in an office environment, then you’ll know how much people love bringing in food for the office to share. Whether it’s the leftover cake because “no one wants to eat it at home” or it’s someone’s birthday, leaving do or wedding celebration, there is ALWAYS something on offer. So I’m sharing my top 5 tips on how to stay healthy at work.
- Be prepared. Often eating what’s on offer or whatever is convenient isn’t always going to be the healthiest option, however if you are prepared then you have a game plan. Preparing your lunch the night before is such a quick and easy way. Batch cooking your dinner, or making you lunches ahead of the week can mean that you save time and money on lunch during the week. Also, if you’re cooking from scratch at home, you know exactly what has gone into your meal and can tailor it to your likes and requirements. If home cooking isn’t for you, then even planning where you will go for lunch and what you will pick up can help you be prepared.
- Have healthier alternatives on offer. There is a birthday celebration at work and you are all bringing in something to share with the office. Birthday’s definitely call for cake, so why not have a go at making a healthier cake or bake so you know there will be healthier options on offer. Have a look at some of my recipes for inspiration.
- Keep hydrated. Many of us forget to drink water. Keeping a water bottle with you when you’re out and about, at meetings and at your desk is a great reminder to keep hydrated. Drinking from a bottle can be more motivating as it’s easier to add up the amount you’ve drunk from bottles, rather than multiple glasses a day. As we move into the colder months remember herbal teas! These count towards your fluid intake and can be great for warming you up in the winter.
- Take your lunch break! Working through lunch is so common these days, whether you are in the office with others, working from home or on the go between meetings and appointments. The reality is, there is most likely always something that you could be doing over your lunch break, but actually the most important thing to do is concentrate on eating. When we are stressed, on the go, working or not focusing on our meal, we are not allowing our bodies to enter the parasympathetic state that is required for optimal digestion.
- Know your finish time. This week’s campaign is all about focusing on having a work-life balance – and one of the easiest ways to try and promote that is to know your working hours, and try to finish at that time. It can be very easy to stay for extra time when trying to meet deadlines and targets, so trying to optimise the time you are contracted to be at work is your best bet. All of the steps listed above should help you on your way to becoming more productive in the time that you have at work, and avoid having to stay over time.